Acoustic apparatus.



E. A. HAWTHORNE. ACIOUSITILAPPARAIUS. APPLICATION FILED FEB-5.1913.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915 UNITED S1 ACOUSTIC nrrannros.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. jig l5.

Application filed February 5, 1913. Serial-E0. 746,280.

To (flu-710m izfma z concern Be it known that I, ELLswoRrH A. HAW- 'rnonxn, a citizen of the'linited States, and a resident of Bridgeport, county of Fair field, and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Acoustic Appa- 'ratus, of which the following description, in

the sounding m ans to produce a warning signal, the apparatus be ng particularly useful for motor vehicles.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the following specification, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in. the appended claims.

' In the drawings: Figure l is an elevation, partly in section, of one form of acoustic apparatus embodying my invention, as applied to a motor vehicle,-a portion of the latter being shownconventionally; Fig. 2 18 a central longitudinal sectron; partly in elevation, of the sound amplifier and the sound-producing devices therein; andFig. 3 is a sectional view on line-33 of Fig. 2, looking toward the right.

Referring to the drawings, and to the embodiment of my invention which I have there shown for illustrative purposes, 4. is

a suitable casing forming asound chamber 5, said casing herein being in the form of a sound amplifier having a sound-delivering opening 6. lVit-hin the sound chamber 5, there is provided a'plurahty of sets of sounding elements and striking elements. Inthe present instance, the soundlng elements are in the form of vibratory elastic reeds, or the like, 7, and the strilnng elements are in the form of pins ll hile the striking elements and sounding elements may be otherwise suitably arranged,-here1n the sounding elements are secured to a diaphragm 9, suitably supported in the amplitier, and the striking elements 8' are secured to asu'itable rotatable body 1Q; herein in the I 4 1 form of a disk secured to a sh roll, the latter being axially disposed ithin amplifier. The shaft 11 may be journaled in suitable bearings 12 and 13, the latter being herein supported bya spider 14:.

In the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration, the sounding elements and striking elements are arranged in several sets, each set including a plurality of striking elements, herein two, and a plurality of sounding elements, herein two, (see Figs. 2 and 8). If desired, the sounding elements of each set may have a different soundcharacteristic as compared 'with the other sets, and if desired, such difference may be provided for by making the ele ments of each .set a different length from the elements of the other sets. In such case,

of course, the striking elements 8 will be suitably proportioned to coiiperate with their respective sounding elements. The latter in practice will consist of suitable vibratory bodies, as for example thin elastic metal herein secured to the diaphragm 9 in any suitable manner, as by securing strips 15.

ll liile the striking elements 8 may be otherwise suitably arranged, they are herein disposed on two spiral lines, as it were. (see Fig. 8), so as to strike the sounding elements successively. Any suitable means may be provided relatively to rotate the shaft 11, and amplifier t, to cause the striking elements successively to engage their cohperating sounding elements in rapid succession, thereby to sound the sounding elements. Herein the amplifier s is fixed, while the shaft 11 is rotated at high speed,

- glthough this arrangement might obviously be reversed. lhe shaft 11 is herein driven from a power shaft 16 of a motor vehicle, the latter being designated generally by the numeral 17. While any other suitable means maybe provided for utilizing the rotative movement of the power shaft at will to drive the shaft 11, the latter is herein provided with a suitable pulley 18, connected by a belt 19 to a pulley 20 on the shaft 16, and the latter is provided with a suitable friction clutch comprising two clutch members 21 and The latter may be shifted into and out of engagement with its cooperating m ber by suitablemeans, as for example h may be en shaft 11 to be driven at high speed, thuscausing the successive engagement of the several sets of striking elements 8 with their cooperating sounding-elements 7. The charmay, of course, be altered within the spirit and scope of my invention. The sound waves produced Wlll pass out through the. annular space around the disk 10, and

- through the mouth of the amplifier into the air.

Vr'hile I have herein shown and described.

, one form of my invention for illustrative purposes, and have disclosed and discussed in detail the construction and arrangement incidental to one specific application tlfereof, it is to be understood. that the invention is limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement of parts nor to its specific embodiment herein shown, but that xtensive deviations from the illustrative form or embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the principles thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to procure is 1. An acoustic apparatus comprising an elastic vibratory diaphragm, a plurality of sounding elements secured to said diaphragm, means for sounding said elements in succession to cause said diaphragm, to vibrate, and means for directing the sound so produced in a direction transverse to th plane of said diaphragm. l

2. An acoustic apparatus comprising, a

vibratory diaphragm, a plurality of sounding elements secured to said diaphragm,

means for sounding said elements in succes S1011 to cause said diaphragm to vibrate, and

means for amplifying and directing the sound so produced in a direction transverse to the plane of said diaphragm 3. An acoustic apparatus comprising a sound chamberhaving an opening,.a shaft disposed within said chamber and extending toward said opening, a plurality 'of sounding elements extendinglengthwise of said shaft within said chamber, and means carried by said shaft for sounding said elements in succession.

4:. An acoustic apparatus comprising a sound chamber having an opening, a shaft disposed within said chamber and extending toward said opening, a plurality of sound ing elements extending lengthwise of said shaft within said chamber, a disk carried by. said shaft. and means carried by said disk for sounding said elements in succession.

5. An acoustic apparatus comprising a sound chamber having an opening, a shaft disposed within said chamber and extending toward said opening, a plurality of sounding elements having different sound characteristics disposed longitudinally of said shaft within said chamber and extending toward said opening, a rotarybody disposed within said chamber, and a plurality of striking members carried by said body lengthwise of said shaft and arranged for cotiperatio with said sounding members.

, 6. An acoustic apparatus vcomprising a sound chamber, a vibratory diaphragm, a plurality of. sounding elementssecured to said diaphragm, and a rotary body carrying striking means coiiperating successively with said sounding elements to cause said diaphragm to vibrate- 7. An acoustic apparatus comprising an amplifier, a relatively thin vibratory diaphragm within said amplifier, apluralityof sounding elements secured to said diaphragm within said amplifier, and means for causing said sounding elements to be sounded successively and cause said diaphram to vibrate. 1

8. An acoustic apparatus comprising an amplifier, a relatively thin Vibratory diaphragm within said amplifier, a plurality of sounding elements secured to said dia phragm within. said a1nplifier',"and means within said amplifier for causing said soundingeleiiients to be sounded successively and cause said diaphragm to vibrate. u v

In testimony whereof, I havefsigned my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ntasw oaru a. nawrno aunl Witnesses:

JOHN H,"GEORGE, E. Horace Havvrnonun. 

